If you feel initial contractions and/or heavy Braxton Hicks, drink a glass of WHITE wine. If it’s the “real thing”, the contractions will continue. If it’s just “preparatory contractions” (I prefer that term to “false labor”), they will likely go away after the wine.

And assuming your water has not broken, you can also try taking a warm bath to see if the contractions are alleviated. (ONLY FOR FIRST BIRTHS – NEVER TAKE A BATH/GO INTO THE SHOWER FOR SECOND BIRTHS AND BEYOND, UNLESS YOU PREFER TO RISK GIVING BIRTH AT HOME:)

Best to you,
Chaya

* One very effective trick is to take along a zippy bag of “labor cubes” to the hospital, storing them in her room fridge. “Labor Cubes” are ice cubes made out of very strong raspberry leaf tea (perhaps one cup herb to one quart water, simmered down to half and strained) that is heavily sweetened with honey. If the laboring mother begins to fade, energy petering out or contractions waning due to lack of nutrition, she can chomp on these satisfying slushy cubes, which usually will perk her up and kick in some great contractions in a matter of minutes.
— Beth Barbeau
Excerpted from “Tricks of the Trade: Liquids Only,” Midwifery Today, Issue 81